*Excerpt*

“All rise!”

The bailiff glared around at the motley assortment of beings in the dark and dusty courtroom before clearing his throat importantly.  “This session of the interplanetary court of Upsilon Andromedae Gallexia will now come to order.  The Honorable, Sirrah Tau-Marr presiding.”

Sirrah sighed as she straightened her robes and slipped from her chambers into the courtroom.  She hated these evening sessions.  All the dregs of society appeared once the sun went down on Mayall II, and law enforcement was usually right on their tail.  On a good night, she might process over fifty defendants.  On a bad night…over a hundred. 

The planet had been colonized one hundred years before, when Old Earth had become so polluted, mankind had to look to the stars for another place to live. Space travel was not yet commonplace when the first weary settlers landed on the planet.  It was everything they remembered Earth being before the contamination, but for one small problem.

Because Mayall II was the brightest star in the Upsilon Andromedae Gallexia cluster, its weather reflected it.  The summer months were much warmer than those on their old planet.  Blistering hot, with temperatures well into the hundreds, when its sun’s rays were strongest, everyone dove for cover.  As the years passed, the colonists learned to live with the burning waves of heat.  Sunshades were built to block the murderous light.  Sunscreen lotions were developed that allowed humans to travel for short distances during the daytime hours.  But even with those advances, people chose the path of least resistance.  They did most of their dealings after the sun went down.

Now, Mayall II, was prosperous…the hub of a system of planets.  Different species docked at the spaceports to trade or take advantage of the planetary recreation facilities.  But unfortunately, with commerce came corruption, and the planet had more than its fair share of the criminal element. Which was why Sirrah had a job.

But this was the last place she wanted to be on this hot evening.  The sun’s corona was at its zenith this time of year and even when the last rays of daylight disappeared, the sultry heat stayed behind like a bad memory.  It baked the ground, as well as the people, making everyone hot, tired, and cranky.  Fights broke out, petty theft increased and other, even more despicable crimes became commonplace. 

Although Sirrah’s chambers were air conditioned, the courtroom had only small air coolers to keep things comfortable.  One was pointed right at the judge’s bench and another at the attorney’s tables.  Defendants and onlookers had to fend for themselves.

But even without the bad weather, Sirrah had other things on her mind.  She wasn’t even supposed to be here in court tonight.  Her soft lips narrowed in annoyance.  She’d already put in a full day’s work.  Just her luck, to be next in line when the Honorable Judge Epublix-Zard had been taken to hospital with a bad sunburn.  Space-drok!  Didn’t he know enough to put on skin protection when he traveled out of doors for too long during the zenith?

She gave a little snort as she hiked her emerald green robes up to climb into her chair.  Judging by Epublix-Zard’s pasty complexion, he spent little time any where else but the inside of a courtroom.  He probably didn’t know better.

Sirrah glanced around the small box-like room.  Full to the brim.  Just as it was each night she sat the bench.  Surreptitiously, she lifted her robes high to get some of the cooling air on her naked legs.  Maybe it would cool off other parts of her as well.  She needed it.  She wasn’t just hot from the heat.  Her nipples tingled with pent up desire.

She’d been looking forward to a nice evening at home.  But she wouldn’t have been alone.  Sirrah had plans for the evening…with her lover.  She’d been thinking about him all day long.  Had worked up several naughty fantasies in fact, some, she might even have to arrest herself for. 

Wetting her lips, she almost groaned as she remembered how he made her feel each time he touched her. Between her morning and afternoon session in court, she’d entertained a brief, but very stimulating fantasy remembering how he’d once found her in the kitchen wearing only her short colorful sleepgown.

Smiling that smile that made her melt, he’d stalked her…just like the Old Earth black panther he reminded her of.  Slowly, around the room he moved, until he had her backed up against the counter.  She could remember her fingers digging into the cool, hard surface behind her as his strong body pressed against hers.

*end of excerpt*

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